


All the Single Alchemists

by Evian_99



Series: Heart-Eyed Alchemists [2]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: And decides that it's best to just ignore the finicky feeling problem, Drunken complaining, Ed realising his feelings for Roy have changed, M/M, Stranded in the desert, Strong Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:07:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29491059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evian_99/pseuds/Evian_99
Summary: Stranded in the smack middle of freaking nowhere, Ed and Roy enjoy a night of drunkenly bitching about everyone and everything. Which, looking back on it, was the moment Ed could no longer deny what his feelings told him.
Relationships: Edward Elric/Roy Mustang
Series: Heart-Eyed Alchemists [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2164008
Kudos: 11





	All the Single Alchemists

‘Fucking fantastic, Mustang!’ Ed snarks when their carriage comes to a stuttering stop. He doesn’t have to exit the truck to know that the engine and well and truly deceased. The thick plume of smoke is indication enough that it won’t bring them any further.

With his head burrowed in his hands, the blond alchemist stares morosely through his fingers. Everywhere he looks there is sand. The wind is harsh, blowing more of the stuff over the flaking road they’ve been following.

Roy looks just as annoyed as Ed. His eyes are narrowed in a glare, as if commanding the thing to fix itself. ‘Think I wanted this?’ he bursts, ‘Idiotic bastard didn’t leave me any other option.’

Annoyance quickly changes to worry as he sees the Commander badly suppressing his shaking hands. Leaving the snark, Ed hugs himself with his arms, gruffly saying: ‘Well, that cursed town shouldn’t be too far. Maybe we can make it before nightfall.’

‘Doubtful’, Roy says, but he does get out of the truck. Lugging a bag packed with canisters of water and dried non-perishables, he sets off into a walk—expecting Ed to follow him.

Still muttering obscenities under his breath, the Fullmetal alchemist does exactly that. The only thing that can make this situation any worse is if they would be separated from each other.

With every step that he takes, Ed feels as if his leg will buckle underneath him. The sand has reached _everywhere_ , even penetrating deep into his automail where the nerve connections are. It’s painful, sending stabs of white-hot pain with every movement.

It has taken them most of the night to reach the town but thank fuck they finally did. They’re both running on fumes, having stopped complaining some hours ago. When they stumble into the nearest tavern-looking place, Ed is thoroughly aware of them looking like wild men.

Unfortunately for the occupants of the tavern, he also thoroughly doesn’t give a damn about it.

A cold beer from the tap tastes heavenly—much better than the warm water they drank to hydrate themselves during their trek. No-one seems to care about him not being the legal age to drink alcohol, and Ed merely dares Roy with a raised eyebrow to say anything.

He doesn’t.

Thankfully.

The blond rapidly magics away three full plates of food into his stomach. Finally feeling fully sated on the surprisingly comfortable wooden chairs, he can’t suppress a hiccough.

‘He’, Roy laughs. His cheeks are flushed. Taking another big gulp from his beer, he looks curiously dishevelled. _Is the man drunk?_ Ed can’t help but wonder. ‘This reminds me of when I just enlisted. Idiotic bastard sent me on a mission that was just as big of a clusterfuck as this one.’

He sniffs in distaste at the memory, before yawning and looking rather surprised at that. Rambling on, Ed watches in amusement. Seeing his chance, he points an accusing finger to his superior: ‘That doesn’t even come near the mess that was that other mining mission you sent me on.’

Ed frowns as he finds it difficult to properly aim. The alcohol is getting to him too. Hiccoughing again, he grimaces. Clearly, the desert heat doesn’t mix well with their drinks. They’re almost alone in the tavern by now, but that doesn’t stop them from ordering another round.

Bitching about their problems is wonderfully cathartic. Much better than the mandatory counselling sessions the army forces them to periodically attend.

The shop owner has to assist them to their rooms, unable to get up the stairs without tumbling down. The poor man is tipped richly for his troubles. In a fantastic mood, Ed doesn’t even mind falling onto the same bed with Roy until the very next morning.

When they’re awarded with a killer headache.

In a wordless agreement to not talk about this ever, they throw themselves into the mission. Ed works with Roy with an efficiency he’s never seen before. It’s… nice.

He almost feels sad when Roy’s underlings come to pick them up. It is as if the spell lifted the moment the trucks enter the town. Only months later, when a mission forces them to share a room again, he’s reminded of their drunken night. And it is then that Ed realises that this was when his feelings for Mustang changed.

That they’d grown into something other than annoyance, more towards affection and not of the platonic type. Lying on his back going through that realisation is a big ‘o, fuck’ moment, because this is new territory, and Ed doesn’t know how to deal with it.

Which is when he does what he normally does: ignore the problem till you can’t ignore it no longer.


End file.
